Automatic damper



Jan. 17, 1928.

G. NEUMANN AUTOMATIC DAMPER Filed April 18, 1925 Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,656,677 PATENT OFFICE.-

.GEORGE NEUMANN, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSI, ASSIGNOR T0 THE NEUMANN FUEL SAVER C0., 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC DAMPER.

Application led April 18, 1925. Serial No. 24,189.

This invention relates to adj stable .dampers.

In iiues connected to furnaces it frequently happens that the draft i'luctuates between wide values and consequently the action of a furnace connected to the flue cannot be accurately controlled. For example, if furnaces are connected t0 a single flue and operated in this manner, the variation in one 1U furnace will necessarily affect the draft for the other furnaces. Also a high wind materially increases the draft through the flue and varies the action of the furnaces.

This invention is designed to provide an automatic damper in the nature of a valve which lis so balanced and adjusted that it will automatically control the suction or draft in the flue and will prevent such draft from exceeding a predetermined limit.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a sectional View showing the device attached to a Hue.

Figure 2 is a view to an enlarged scale of a detail of the construction illustrating a modified form.

Figure 3 is a further view of a modified form.

Figure 1 shows a iiue 1 which is in communication with a casing 2 of box-like construction. In the form shown in Figure 1, the casing is provided with a relatively large aperture 3 through its upper wall, and a disk-like valve 4 is positioned below such aperture yand is adapted to close it. A gasket 5 is employed to act as a sealing ring, and insurea tight joint when the valve is closed.

The gasket is composed of yieldingmaterial having a iiat face adapted to cont-act with a corresponding fiat face of thel floating disc-like valve 4.

' It has been found that when the ,face of Y the gasket contacts with the disc-like valve .a slight vacuum develops in a cohesion of :these two parts.

Owing to the cohesion of the valve, it thus re uires a greater force to initially dislodge it t an to maintain the device open after the valve member has been dislodged. The gasket, therefore not only serves to cushion the device and render it quiet in operatlon, but also avoids the constant chatter to which devices of this type are subjected, due to the rapid and light spasmodic puffs of air caused by variable atmospheric conditions. The disk is provided with an eyelct portion 6 projecting upwardly therefrom, and such eyelet portion is suspended from thc hooked end 7 of a lever 8. The case 2 carries a pair of projections 9 upon which the knife edge supports or trunnions 10 of the lever are adapted to rest. The outwardly projecting end of the lever slidably carries a weight 1l which may be slipped to the desired point and locked in adjusted position by means of a set screw 12.

Figure 2 shows a modified form of coustruction in which the lever 13 corresponding to the lever 8 is provided with a threaded extension 14 which screws into`a weight 15. A suitable lock nut is indicated at 16 and is vadapted to lock the weight-in adjusted position. If desired, the supports 9 for the knife bearings or trunnions 10 may be notched, as shown in Figure 2, to more securely retain the trunnions in position.

. In the modified form shown in Figure 3, .substantially the Same general construction 1s followed as that previously described. The casin 1 is provided with an opening surrounde by a gasket 17 adapted to be engaged by a disk 18. A convenient way of carrying the gasket is to turn a flange 19 adjacent the aperture through the casing iu the form shown in Figures l and 3.

In the modified form illustrated in Figure 3, a spider-like bracket 20 extends outwardly from the casing and is provided with a. guiding hub 21 through `which the valve stem 22 loosely passes. If desired, the hub 21 'may be provided with an opening which is ared at its opposite ends for `the reception of the valve rod, as shown, to reduce the friction and to permit slight adjustment of the valve without binding at the guiding hub 21. A wing nut 23 is screwed upon the and presses a washer 24 against a. light compression spring25. F

Obviously, the adjustment of any of these devices may be very accurately made and consequently the point at which the valve will open may be accurately determined.

In operation the valves open when the draft exceeds a predetermined value and consequently tend to maintain arelatively uniform operation of the ilue. This is high- -threaded upper end of the valve stem 22 ly desirable and aids in the correct operation of furnaces connected with the ue.

It will be seen, therefore that although the device is extremely simple and may be cheaply manufactured that nevertheless, it functions inna purely automatic manner, and secures a very desirable and long sought for result in flue construction.

Although the invention has been describedl in considerable detail, it is to be understood that the invention may be variously embodied and is, therefore, to he limited only as claimed.

I claim:

The combination of a flue for a furnace and draft ref {ulating` device comprising a casing communicating with said flue and having a top member provided with an Opening, aiioating disc-like valve member adapted to close the opening in the top mem- 4and the other member tend to eohere when contacting `to require a greater initial force to open the device than is necessary to maintain the device open, a bearing projecting from the casing, a lever pivoted thereto and having an inner end supporting the iloating member, and an adjustable weight carried by the outer end of Said lever.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lViseonsin.

GEORGE N EUMAN N 

